existence
by Demo-nisshu jinketsu Duke
Summary: After a day of training with Ky, Sol and a newly reborned Aria have a talk at sunset. Please R&R


Sol trugged his way though desert of Neo New York. A long day of training with the Ky had passed again. One step closer to being able to truly fight that bastard, Asuka. It wasn't hard training, per se. He just wasn't used to using tatics and complex strategies in a fight.

'More like convoluted…When did the boy-scout become such a slave driver anyway?' The passing thought allowed for a small appreciative grunt. He would never admit it, but he feels lucky to have the first king's help. Too much has happened..IS HAPPENING in this point in his life and with the upcoming showdown Sol wanted to be sure to walk away victorious, even if it means "trying his best".

As he continued his way up a steep hill, lost in his thoughts, he heard a voice called out to him.

"Fre~derick!"

Sol looked up, stunned at the name and voice. Two hundred plus years later, and her smile still makes his heart skip a beat. Waving happily as she always did before all the bullshit. Bullshit that Auska, Aria, and himself had a hand in creating. Though, Aria was more of an victim than anything.

A victim of their weakness. Thier incapability to protect the one person who meant something to the both of them. Their personal ambitions choices, and acts repentance. Their centuries age feud, many times over. It was both a blessing and a curse to have her back in this savage life.

"Tsc! You're up and about." His voice held very minuscule bit of teasing. He was eased to see her up, though her appearance caused him a bit of paused. Shoulder length silver hair with a crimson under in placed of vibrant red. Skin a shade darker than usual. Eyes of sparkling emerald. She looked like a cross between the Aria of old and Jack-o of now.

"Well when you've been out of commission for as long as I have…"

"Yeah.. I get it. So You came to pick me up? Thought you would be trying to explore with Dizzy or one of your 'sisters'."

"I ..Did..but I came to meet you..To speak with you one on one…Like old times."

Sol noticed the uncertainty in her voice. The way she played with a left front lock of her hair, a nervous tick that Aria had and made both him and Auska swear not to mentioned it. Sol folded his arms and looked towards the setting sun silently, before giving the slightest invitation to join him. Aria smiled as she walked to his side. She took a moment to drink him in. He was so different compared to what he was all those years ago and yet so familiar.

"Two centuries been good to you. Still have that infamous deposition of yours though."

His skin was a bit tanner, hair much longer; body was stronger, taller, and bulkier than she recalled. The most striking thing was his eyes, the color of fine burbon, slightly draconian in nature; and strkingly cold on the surface. Aria knew better though he always had eyes like that, even as her stringly, lone wolf, genius with ocean green eyes. His eyes held so much hidden emotion and turmoil. A hunger to succeed, a need to find a place in the world. She poked his bicep with a curious appreciation.

"Where did my twig of a scientist go?"

"I ate him."

Aria gave a faux gasp and playfully looked away. "My, oh my..Is that to say my darling Frederick is gone and all that left is you, Sol?…Eh I can live with that."

Sol clicked his teeth but let a smirk grace his lips as he felt her lean on him. Aside from the primal instinctual urges (that he belive came from the human, gear and seed within him) from feeling her body upon his, her touch was calming, her voice melodic, it been such a long time since he felt this human.

"This feels so surreal, being here with you." She clenched fist feeling a strength and power she never had in the past, no trace of TP either.

"Hmm, I would say so. You haven't been you in so long."

"Its haven't been long…Not for me. The last thing I remember is sleeping. After that, everything played like vivd dreams and nightmares, but I know that's not the case…Those 'dreams' are memories…"

The pain in her voice killed the Sol many times over. He kept towards the setting sun,l ooking at her through his left peripheral. Her smile; contemptible yet gracious.

"I know so much about this world and its workings, yet this is the first time I ever breathed its air, felt its sun, stepped on its surface. It's disorienting."

"I would suppose so. It'll take a while, but you'll find your place."

"Do I deserve one?"

That caused the immoral flame to look directly at her, his eyes burning with anger. She glared back, fist clenched.

"The hell make you think you don't? Of course you do, just as much as anyone else."

"How can you be so sure!? After everything I've done, do you really believe that I deserve to be alive?"

"Aria, you aren't responsible for that damnit!"

"Bullshit!"

Sol was stunned at the force of her voice, the fire in her eyes, threating him to interrupt.

"DON'T YOU DARE PATRONIZE ME! You might think of me as innocent, but the fucking scenes in my head say different. I've orchestrated a fucking war that put this world and humanity to the brink. I killed kliff Underson; Yours and Ky's master. "

It was then that the tears fell freely, but she held her glare. " I tried to kill my…OUR daughter…OUR FAMILY in the baptism 13 event…I tried to kill YOU. God, I tried to kill you multiple times."

She couldn't stand to look at him anymore and turned her back towards him. "You especially suffered so much because of me."

"If you remember those events, you must remember that I KILLED YOU AT LEAST TWICE!"

"I was a threat to the world at the time..You had to do it."

"Tsch! Now who's being patronizing! Just so you know if I knew I wouldn't have kiiled you."

Aria looked over her shoulder at the gear, who glare turned a look of annoyance.

"You are just as much as a victim of as anyone else. You didn't sign up to be used by Asuka, by the Universal Will or any other asshole. You were violated..Your DNA… Your very soul and existence, used as tool by forces out of your control."

The reborn woman turned directly to him face full of rage and disgust "IT WAS STILL MY SOUL! MY EXISTENCE! THAT CAUSE THIS WORLD! NO MATTER BY WHO COMMAND..IT WAS STILL.. Hale?..Justice?…Valentine?..Jack-o?..

Aria let out a broken laugh as she felt the anger subsided and a deep emptiness set in…"My god..I don't even know who I am…am I any of these names that I said…" She looked at Sol pleadingly. "Why did you save me?"

Sol growled harshly before grabbing her by the wrist, pulling her towards him..into a surprising gentle and familiar embraced. "Cause you're Aria, Damnit."

She tried to fight his grip, fruitlessly. Whether it was due to her emotional fatigue in opposition to his gear strength or how reminiscent it felt; as if they were back in their lab, she didn't know but she quickly gave in; trembling against his chest, unconsciously gripping his back for dear life.

"There are so much thoughts, emotions and memories about me..you..us… but I have not existed long enough to have any one them. So what make you so sure?"

"Other than curves of your body?"

The sound of her sucking her teeth, the feel of ger punching his back, followed by her distinct pout cause a smirk on Sol's face.

"Really? Must you always be insensitive, Frederick. 200 years..and you're still horrible at flirting."

"200 years and you're still easy to tease." Sol looked down at her before sighing deeply. " Your reaction prove you're as much 'Aria Hale' as' Frederick Bulsara' is me. We have their souls and past. It's unfortunate, but we are what left of those two. Tasked with living in the world the three of them created through their own selfishness. The result of their sins."

Aria let out a cold chuckle but kept her hold. " So what do that make me..make us? A replacement, a place holder, inheritors of their guilt and sin?"

"That's for you to decide. I chose to be 'Sol Badguy' and leave 'Frederick' in the past. I still carry his guilt for the gears, but this existence is mine and mine alone."

"You make it sound so easy."

"It's not, but it's possible. My advice..You are you…You might have the memories of all your past lifetimes but the you now do not have to be chained by them. Aria Hale..Justice…Valentine… They're the past, what matters is the 'Aria' that exist now."

Aria smiled gently as she finally released her hold on him, and backed away from the gear. "The 'Aria of now'. That's quite a simple answer, but maybe it's for the best… Thanks, Sol."

Sol let a small smile appear before ruffling up her hair a bit. " Come on, the others might be bitchin about us taking time." With that he started his way back up the hill he felt her grabbed his hand and interlace her fingers with his. He looked down quizzically at the woman who just gave a smirk.

"It feels right."

Sol grimaced slightly, unknowingly followed suit as they walked from their past and towards their present.


End file.
